READING midfielder Jimmy Kebe has called on the club’s owner to give them a fighting chance of staying up by bringing in some new players in January.

Reading have lost their past six games, the latest a 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal, and are bottom of the Premier League, six points from safety.

Russian Anton Zingarevich bought the club in May following their title-winning season in the Championship.

Spending in the summer was modest, with Chris Gunter and Adrian Mariappa arriving for £5million, along with five players on free transfers.

Manager Brian McDermott, who this week celebrated three years as Reading boss, is determined to bring in players in January.

“I want players who have been there, seen it, done it in the Premier League. We need experience,” he said.

Kebe, who scored against Arsenal after returning from injury, says it is time for Zingarevich to open the chequebook and help the squad in their relegation fight.

He said: “We are all working hard for each other. We have some good players, but there is a big difference between being in the Championship and in the Premier League if you do not spend any money to make the team better.

Right now, we are in big trouble, so you should ask the chairman if he wants to spend any money to make the team better so we can compete in the Premier League

Jimmy Kebe

“Right now, we are in big trouble, so you should ask the chairman if he wants to spend any money to make the team better so we can compete in the Premier League.”

Striker Noel Hunt, meanwhile, says it is time to get nasty if the Royals want to stay in the top flight.

“We need to rectify a few things,” he said.

“We let in soft goals. We can’t blame anyone in particular, we need to look at ourselves.

“We need some pride. I am a pride man, I have been here a long time.

“We need to fight and throw in a few tackles and do it the nasty way now.